Seeking to reassure the nation of India’s economic stability ahead of Union Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that if there was a ray of hope in world economy, it was India.
Addressing a farmers’ rally in Belagavi, Karnataka, he also credited his Government for firmly dealing with the issue of corruption, saying even the Opposition didn’t get any opportunity to point finger at his Government.
“Everyone in the world, whether it is the IMF, World Bank or rating agencies, are saying that if there is a ray of hope then it is in India. The economic condition of the entire world is in shambles,” Modi said at the huge rally, organised to promote his Government’s flagship programme for farmers “Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana”.
He said, “Even the big economies are facing economic crisis. Despite such an environment of recession, India is moving forward on the path of economic development.”
On the issue of corruption he said that even the Opposition parties, who target the Government day and night, haven’t accused the NDA Government of corruption.
“When I took office in Delhi, the entire nation was fed up because of corruption. It has been 18 months, that you have allowed me to serve the nation. Even our Opposition, who give statements day and night, hasn’t accused us of corruption. They do not have the guts to even level false allegations,” he said.
“The country was reeling under the economic crisis, and on top of that corruption was ruining the nation,” he added.
Modi stressed the need for interlinking rivers for better water management. “If we promote agriculture, manufacturing and service sector simultaneously, we can overcome any crisis,” he said.
The crop insurance scheme which is effective from the kharif season, is expected to help farming sector in distress. in this scheme Farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of 2 per cent for kharif crops and 1.5 per cent for rabi crops. For annual commercial and horticultural crops, they will have to pay a premium of 5 per cent. The remaining share of premium will be borne by the Centre and State Governments.
Meanwhile hundreds of farmers of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and Hasiru Sene faction headed by Kodihalli Chandrashekar, protested against Prime Minister’s visit to Belagavi demanding scientific pricing for their crop, resolution of the Mahadayi water dispute, and implement the recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers headed by MS Swaminathan among other assurances given to the farmers during electioneering to the last Assembly and Parliament elections.
Utilisation of Mahadyai water as drinking water for the north Karnataka districts has become a major stumbling block for the political parties ahead of Assembly election in 2018. Karnataka is seeking permission to direct 2 TMC ft of water from Kalasa-Banduri to Malaprabha reservoir through a canal to supply drinking water for areas of North Karnataka, but in the long term the State seeks the nod for utilising 7.56 TMCft of water by constructing reservoir at Kalasa.
Mahadayi (Mandovi) river originates and flows for 28 km in Karnataka and meanders through Maharashtra and Goa before reaching to the Arabian Sea.
Congress-ruled Karnataka has seen more than 1,000 farmers’ suicides last year. The sugarcane belt of Mandya was badly hit with non-operational sugarcane factories not buying the farmers’ crop and leaving them deeply in debt.